Ammunition



April 4, 1944. w. s. REYNOLDS AMMUNITION s Sheets-She et 2 Filed D150.

' INVENTOR M/HRKEN \S" REY/V0405 57 147 m ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 4, 1944 AMMUNITION Warren S. Reynolds, Stratford, Conn., assignor to Remington Arms Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application December 5, 1940, Serial No. 368,639

6 Claims. (Cl. 86-31) The present invention relates to an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, and has for an object to provide an automatic machine by means of which accurately measured charges of powder may be removed from a supply source, as for instance a gravity feed hopper, and successively fed into relation to and ejected into individual cartridge shells. To this end it is particularly proposed to provide a rotating conveyer drum having a series of powder charge receiving pockets arranged to move from the supply hopper to the ejection point in relation to the shell to be charged.

A further object is to provide such machine in which the individual charges of powder will be of uniform consistency, free from voids, as well as of uniform size and weight. To this end it is proposed to provide automatic compacting means which will compact the charge of powder in the drum pockets while in direct relation with the supplying hopper so that prior to the removal of the charge from the supply hopper there is positive assurance that the required amount of charge is in the pockets without voids, bridging or loose areas. It is further proposed to provide automatic detector means for testing or gauging the correct predetermined amount of the charge in the pockets of the conveyer drum during the transition from the hopper to the ejection point; and to provide automatic stop means for stopping the operation of the machine when there is a deficiency or absence of powder in the pockets. It is further proposed to provide ejection means which will positivelyinsure the complete ejection of the powder charge to the cartridge shells. I

With the above and other objects in view, a embodimentof the. invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a powder charger, according to the exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the forward portion of the machine from the left hand side as seen in Fig. 2. v I v.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the forwa'rdlportion of the machine from the right hand side as seeninFig.2. y

a yoke-shaped bearing bracket member ll having outwardly extending foot portions |2I2 secured to the base by bolts I3, this bracket member being provided upon its upper side with v a block l4 having a horizontal bore l5 therein in which there is rigidly secured, preferably by a force fit, the shank portion l6 of a forwardly projecting shaft I! having a reduced diameter stud portion l8 at its forward end. This shaft l1 provides a fixed bearing for the rotatable powder charge transporting drum, as will presently more fully appear.

The bearing bracket II is arranged parallel to the forward edge of the base plate l0 adjacent its left hand edge, and adjacent the right hand edge of the base plate there are provided a right angular bearing bracket l9 secured by bolts 20 and a right angular bearing bracket 2| secured by bolts 22, these bearing brackets projecting partially over the right hand edge of the base plate and having their upright portions in spaced parallel relation to each other and to the forward edge of the base plate. A cylindrical bearing collar 23 is secured by welding to the bearing bracket I9 near its outer edge, and in alignment therewith a similar bearing collar 24 is secured by welding to the bracket member 2|, and within these bearing collars 23 and 24 there is journaled a cam shaft 25, upon which, the several cams which operate the automatic mechanism of the machine are mounted, as will presently more fully appear.

This cam shaft has secured upon its rearward end a gear 26 meshing with a pinion 21 secured upon a counter drive shaft 28 having bearing in a bearing collar 29 secured by welding to the bracket l9 near its inner edge and in a bearing collar 30 secured by welding to a right angular bracket 3|, secured upon the base plate I0 by bolts 32, this bracket 3| being disposed in parallel spaced relation to the bracket l9. There is also securedv upon the counter drive shaft 28 a pulley 33 engaged by a drive belt 34 extending from the pulley 35 of the driving motor 36, the base 31 of this motor being secured by bolts 38 intermittent rotary movement the cylindrical powder charge transporting drum member, indicated generally as 42, and which consists of a hub portion 43', a web portion M and, a cylindrical rim portion consisting'of'a part 45 extending forwardly from the web portion and a part 55 extending rearwardly therefrom, the part 45 7 being substantially thicker and narrower than the part 45. A series of radially disposed equally spaced bearing formations 41 are provided upon the inner side of the rim part 45 having radial cylindrical passages 48 therein which extend to the peripheral surface of the rim and which constitute powder charge receiving pockets and bearing passages for plunger members, presently to be more fully described.

The rim part 55 is provided with a series of radial holes 49 in alignment with the passages 58 and substantially larger in diameter and which constitute pockets for receiving a locking pin for holding the drum 42 in fixed position between'its intermittent rotary movements, as will presently more fully appear. Upon the outer periphery of the rim portion 46 there is provided a series of spaced ratchet notches 50 spaced in correspondence with the spacing of the holes 49, and which are adapted to be engaged by the ratchet feed mechanism, presently to be more fully described.

Upon the forward stud portion [8 of the shaft there is engaged a plunger actuating cam member 5|, the hub 52'of which is secured to the stud by a pin 53 and constitutes a collar for retaining the conveyer drum d2 against longitudinal shifting movement upon the shaft l'l.

Within each of the passages 68 there is slidably engaged a plunger member 54, the outer end of. which constitutes a base for the powder receiving pocket; while its inner end, which is provided with a head 55, is engaged with the periphery of the cam 5|, a helical spring 56 being provided upon the plunger between the head and the bearing formation 41 to press the head 55 into engagement with the cam, and which exerts a retracting force upon the plunger with respect to the powder receiving pocket. The high portion of the cam 5| maintains the plunger in the normal powder charge supporting position, while the low portion causes it to retract slightly as it enters the hopper and at its first position within the hopper, so as to allow an excess of powder to flow into the pocket, the slight projecting cam actuated movement of the plunger whichffollows causing the chargefto be compacted within the pocket, thus eliminating voids and loose areas. The cam is provided in its lower portion with a radial slot 51, in which there is operatively engaged the mechanism for imparting ejecting movement to the plunger in the ejecting position of the drum, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

At the right hand side of the conveyer drum there is mounted a vertically disposed supporting standard .58 of T-shape, in cross-section, secured at its base 59 to the'base plate in by means of bolts 60, and having mounted upon its upper flat rectangular top portion 6| the powder containing hopper 62, the rectangular base portion 63 of which is secured by bolts 64 to the top portion 6|. This hopper is disposed in superimposed relation to the upper side of the drum from a point slightly to the left of the vertical center line of the drum to a point at the right substantially above the horizontal center line. As indicated in Fig. 2, the left hand end of the opening of the hopper is slightly to the left of the upper vertically disposed powder receiving pocket, while the right hand end of the opening is disposed between the horizontally disposed powder receiving pocket and the inclined pocket above it.

The base 55 of the hopper is circumferentially shaped in concentric relation to the periphery of the drum and engages it in bearing relation, so that the drum constitutes a bottom closure for the opening of the hopper. The rearward wall 66 of the hopper extends upwardly and outwardly in inclined relation from the surface of the drum and with the surface of the drum constitutes a substantially V-shaped area within the hopper wherein the down pressure of the powder within the hopper is most effectually applied to insure filling of the powder receiving pockets of the drum as they are rotated into the opening of the hopper. As most of the Weight of the powder in the hopper tends to bear with a wedging action upon that part of the powder in the V-shaped area, and as the inclination of the wall 66 is approximately in line with the axes of the radial powder receiving pockets as they move into the hopper'opening the powder will be funneled into the pockets with substantial force and without appreciable restriction. As the pocket entering the hopper opening is of greater area due to the retraction of the plunger 5:3 at this point, it receives a sufficient charge of powder so that any voids or loose areas are eliminated by the compacting action which takes .place when the plunger is projected as it reaches the upper vertical position.

The left hand wall 61 of the hopper is vertically disposed and at its lower end is provided with an opening 68 adjacent the periphery of the rotary drum. A vertically disposed resilient guard member 69,. preferably formed of relatively soft rubber is engaged against the wall 61, and is provided at its lower end with an arcuate surface 18 conforming to and resilientlyengaging the periphery of the drum, its lower end portion being permitted to flex .in the opening 58 thereby constituting a resilientseal between the opening of the hopper and the periphery of the drum to clean powder from the surface of the drum and level off the charges of powder contained in the pockets 48.

At the left hand side of the rotary drum there is provided a powder retaining member II for cooperation with the periphery of the conveyor drum to retain the powder in the pockets during transition from the hopper to the ejecting point, the base l2 of this member being secured tothe base plate it? by means of bolts 13. The retaining member includes a circumferential wall portion i4 concentric to the ,drum, having a circumferential rib i5 which contacts the surface of the drum as a bearing surface and is slightly wider than the powder containing pockets, so that it constitutes a seal for them. The retaining member 1| is provided with a horizontally disposed platform formation 76 upon which is mounted an automatic stop mechanism for detecting'the correct amount of the powder charge in the pocketin the left hand horizontal position, as will hereinafter more fully appear. At the lower end of the rib I there is secured a thin metal extension insert TI secured in a recess pocket 78 in the end of the rib and projectingto a point slightly beyond the lower vertically disposed pocket position and having an ejecting passage 19 therein which registers with the pocket in this position.

Upon the hub portion 43 of the drum 42 there is engaged for oscillatory movement the hub 88 of the drum feeding ratchet lever 8| provided at its lower end with a shouldered stud bolt 82 engaged in a hole 83 therein, and provided upon its forwardly disposed enlarged-diameter headed portion with a pivotally mounted ratchet pawl 84, adapted to ride upon the periphery of the drum and to engage the ratchet notches 58 for imparting intermittent rotary movement to the drum, there being a helical compression spring 85 connected between a pin 88 upon the side of the ratchet pawl and a pin 87 upon the side of the lever, and which draws the ratchet pawl into yielding engagementwith the periphery of the drum.

Upon the rearwardly projecting reduced diameter portion of the stud bolt 82 there is rotatably engaged the connecting block member 88 of a connecting rod 89, this member having a cylindrical transverse bore 98 engaged by the stud bolt and being retained upon the stud bolt by means of a nut 9| screwed upon the threaded reduced diameter end portion 92 of the stud bolt. The connecting rod 89 is screwed into a longitudinal threaded passage 83 of the connecting block member and is fixed against displacement by means of a lock nut 94. The other end'of the connecting rod 89 is screwed into a threaded passage 95 of a connecting block member 96 and is fixed by means of a lock nut 8?, this block memberbeing provided with a transverse cylindrical passage 98* engaged by the eccentric driving pin 98 of a combination eccentric driving and cam plate 89, the hub I88 of which is secured by a pin IIJI to the forward end of the cam shaft 25. The connecting block member 98 is secured upon the eccentric pin 88 against outward displacement by means of a cotter pin 182.

With each rotation of the eccentric plate 89 the ratchet lever BI is oscillated to retract the pawl 84 from the projected position shown in Fig. 2 to its position to engage the next ratchet groove 58 to the left and thereupon through movement to the right the drum 42 is rotated tobring the next pocket to the vertical ejection position.

During the rotary movement of the drum it is free to rotate, but during the retracting movement of the ratchet lever the drum is locked against movement. For this purpose there is provided a reciprocating locking pin I 83 slidably supported in a horizontally bored bearing portion I84 formed upon the rearward side of the standard 58 adjacent its top portion SI. The projecting nose of the pin is rounded and adapted in its projected position to engage one of the locking holes 48 of the drum 42 as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and in the retracted position to become disengaged therefrom to permit the drum to be rotated. The outer end of the pin is provided with a flattened upper surface I85 and a vertically disposed passage I88, and has connected to it, by means of a pivot pin I81 engaged in the pas sage I88, the forward end of the arm I88-of the actuating lever for the locking pin. The hub I09 of this lever is supported for pivotal movement upon a vertically disposed bearing post I III secured in the upper horizontal platform portion of the bracket 40 and is retained'against vertical displacement by means of a cotter pin III engaged through the upper end of the post.

The rearwardly extending arm II2 of the locking pin actuating lever is engaged at itsright hand edge and near its outer end by the upwardly extending arm I I3 of a bell crank cam lever, the hub II4 of which is rotatably mounted upon a horizontally disposed shouldered bearing post II 5 secured by a force fit in the vertically disposed portion of the bracket 40, and is retained upon the post II5 against lateral displacement by means of a cotter pin IIG engaged through the end of the post. The laterally extending arm II'Iof this bell crank cam lever is provided at its end with a roller I I8 mounted upon a shouldered headed bearing pin II9 secured by a force fit in the end of the arm and this roller rides upon the periphery of a cam I28, the hub I2I of which is secured upon the cam shaft 25'by means of a pin I22.

A helical compression spring I23 is tied between a pin I24 provided upon the arm I 88 of the locking pin actuating lever and a pin I25 mounted in the side of the standard 58, and exerts force upon this lever to project the locking pin I83 and to bring the cam lever into engagement with the periphery of the cam I28, the low surface of the cam allowing the cam lever and actuating lever to rotate under the force of the spring to project the locking pin, and these levers being rotated in the opposite directions as the cam lever rides upon the high surface of the cam to retract the locking pin. Obviously this high surface of the cam is so related to the eccentric driving plate 89 that the locking pin is retracted to free the drum during the portion of rotation of the eccentric plate which actuates the drum feeding ratchet lever in feeding direction.

As the drum 42 is rotated to bring the charges of powder from the hopper to the ejecting point the charges of powder are subjected at the horizontal position midway between the vertical charging point and the vertical ejecting point to the action of an automatic detecting and stop mechanism, this action being designed to detect whether or not there is a correct amount of powder charge in the pocket, and in the event of a deficiency in the amount to stop operation of the machine to enable the operator to divert the deficient charge. The mechanism for accomplishing this action is mounted upon the platform portion I6 of the retaining member 7!, and consists of a U-shape block I26 secured by bolts I2I to the platform I8 and provided in the forward faces of the two upright portions with horizontally aligned right angular pockets I28 in which there is slidably engaged a slide rod I29 of rectangular cross-section provided at its inner end with a cylindrical plunger portion I30 in axial alignment with the horizontal pocket 48 of the drum, and having its end surface I30 conforming to and flush with the surface of the rib 15. The slide is retained in the pockets I28 by means of closure plates I 3| secured upon the block by screws I32.

A cross bar I33 is secured by bolts I33 upon the upper side of the block I26 adjacent its rearward edge and provides a bearing for the vertically disposed rock shaft I34, the lower end of which projects downwardly into the opening of" the block I25 and has secured thereon a lever arm I35 which projects over the slide rod I29 and engages a vertically disposed pin I36 secured in the slide rod, this pin being normally pressed against the lever by means of a compression helical spring l3'I tied between a pin I38 secured upon the forward side of the slide rod near its outer end and a pin I39 secured to the inner surface of the member 1|, this spring normally exerting a projecting pressure upon the slide I29 and its plunger portion I36. Upon the upper projecting end of the rock shaft I34 there is secured'a lever arm Me which projects rearwardly in the opposite direction from the arm I55 and which is pivotally connected by means of a pin Iii in the forked end of a connecting block member I 32 provided upon one end of a pull rod I 53, this pull rod being screwed into a threaded passage Me in the connecting block member and being secured against displacement by a lock nut I45.

The other end of the pull rod I43 is. secured to a similar connecting block member M having a threaded passage 541 into which the threaded end of the rod is screwed and secured by a lock i nut I48. This connecting block member is pivotally secured to the upwardly extending arm I49 of a cam lever by means of a pin i553, the hub I5I of this cam lever being rotatably mounted upon a horizontal shaft !52, rotatably supported at its forward portion in the cylindrical bearing passage I53 of a bearing formation 654 provided upon the standard 58, and at its rearward end in a bearing hole I55 provided in the vertical portion of the bracket 46. A positioning collar I56 is secured tothe shaft I52 by a pin I51 adjacent the inner end of the bearing formation I54 and a positioning collar I53 is secured by a pin 553 of the shaft adjacent the forward end of the hub l5I. At the rearward end of the hub I5I there is provided the downwardly extending arm I61! of the cam lever and upon the lower end of this arm there is provided a roller IEI- mounted upon a shouldered and headed bearing stud I62 secured by a force fit in the end of the arm l66, this roller riding upon the cam surface I53 of the combination eccentric and cam plate 99, and beingpressed into engagement with the cam surface through the action of a spring I45 tied between a pin I46 secured to the lever arm I55 and a pin it! secured to the block I26.

Upon the outer upright of the block I26 there is mounted a switch unit 36* connected by conductor wires 36' in the circuit of the motor 36, this switch unit being normally closed and adapted to be opened through depression of a plunger pin 35 to a predetermined point. An upright post i293 is secured to the slide I in position to engage the plunger and actuate the switch upon a predetermined projection movement of the slide to stop the motor. A suitable switch of this character is the Micro switch manufactured by Micro Switch Corporation, of Freeport, Illinois.

During engagement of the collar with the high portion of the cam surface I63 the slide I29 is retracted in its normal position as shown in Fig. 2, where it is retained under the pull of' the spring I31, by abutment of the pin I36 with the lever arm I35. As it rides upon the low portion of the cam surface the lever arm I35 is rotated inwardly under the pull of the spring I46 so that the slide I29 and plunger I30 are free to move inwardly into the pocket under the pull of the spring I31. 7

III!

In the event that the pocket is completely filled with a powder charge of predetermined density, the projecting movement of the plunger I36 will be arrested through pressure contact with the powder charge, at a point short of the switch actuating point, so that the normal operation of the machine will continue. Should there be a deficiency in the charge the projection of the plunger will be sufficient to actuate the switch and stop the operation of the machine. The operator will thereupon restart the machine by retracting the slide I29, or resetting the switch, and divert the deficient charge when it reaches the ejection point.

At the powder charge ejection point the lower vertically disposed plunger is automatically projected to drive the powder charge out of the pocket into the cartridge shell, which is positioned beneath the drum in line with the ejection point, either manually or by automatic means to successively bring the shells into place in timedrelation with the action of the charger. Within the vertical slot 51 of the cam plate 5| there is slidably engaged a block member I64 of rectangular cross-section provided with guide flanges I65-I65 at one side which are slidably engaged over the edges of one side of the slot to retain the slide block against lateral displacement. A forwardly projecting pin IE6 is secured in the block and this is engaged in the slotted end I61 of a lever I68 having its hub I69 secured upon the forwardly projecting end of the shaft I52 by a pin I16. The lever I68 is bent at its intermediate portion so that the hub end clears the forward edge of the rim portion of the drum 42 and the slotted end is offset inwardly into close relation'to the slide block I64. Upon the shaft I52, between the bracket 40 and the cam lever hub I5I, there is secured by a pin I'II the hub portion I12 of a cam lever I13, having a roller I14 mounted upon its end by means of a shouldered and headed stud pin I15 secured in the end of the lever by force fit, this roller riding upon the periphery of a cam I16 having its hub portion I11 secured upon the cam shaft 25 between the hub IDB of the cam 69 and the forward side of the bracket 2! by means of a pin I 18. The roller is pressed into engagement with the periphery of the cam by means of a helical compression spring I19 tied between a pin I86 secured to the lever I13 and a pin I8I secured upon the forward side of the bracket 40, this spring being substantially greater in strength than the springs 56 of the powder charge ejecting plungers 54, so that as the roller rides uponthe low surface of the cam it causes the lever I68 to swing downwardly against the pressure of the spring 56 and depress the slide I64 to project the powder charge ejecting plunger 54, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. As the roller rides upon the high portion of the cam the lever I68 is swung upwardly causing the slide block I64 to be retracted into the slot 51, so that its lower end is substantially flush with the periphery of the cam 5| and is clear of the successive plunger head 55, as it is moved into the vertical ejecting position.

The operation is as follows:

As the conveyor drum 42 is intermittently rotated through the action of the ratchet lever 8| the radial powder charge receiving pockets 48 are successively rotated through the following sequence, after leaving the lower vertical ejecting position as shown in Fig. 2. l The head of the plunger 54 first rides from the high surface of the cam 6| onto the low surface, so that the plunger is retracted before the pocket enters the opening of the hopper, thus increasing the capacity of the pocket. In moving from the right hand horizontal position to the first position in the hopper, the pocket passes into the hopper opening in relation to the lower substantially V- shaped area thereof Where the substantial weight of the powder in the hopper is concentrated, and due to inclination of the wall 66 and the substantially aligned relation of the pocket therewith a positive feeding of the powder into the pocket results. In moving to the next position in the hopper, namely the upper vertical position, the plunger again moves onto the high surface of the cam and is projected slightly, thus compacting the powder in the pocket upwardly against the weight of the powder in the hopper, thereby eliminating any voids or loose areas therein. In moving to the next position the surface of the drum is wiped by the lower end of the rubber member 69 leveling off the powder in the pocket. Thereupon the pocket moves beneath the rib of the retaining member II, which retains the powder in the pocket during movement to the next position where the accuracy of the amount of the powder charge in the pocket is tested through the detecting action of the plunger end I 30 of the slide I29, which as above pointed out causes automatic stoppage of the machine in the event of a deficiency in the charge. The pocket is thereupon moved through two steps to the lower vertical ejection position at which point the plunger comes into line with the slide I64, which is thereupon depressed through the action of the lever I68, ejecting the charge from the pocket into the cartridge shell, which is placed in line beneath the ejecting point.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described therein is typical and i1 lustrative only, and it is evident that the invention is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims which are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable conveyer member having a series of powder receiving pockets, drive means arranged to rotate said conveyer member intermittently through equal increments of movement corresponding to the spacing of said pockets, a powder containing hopper disposed above said conveyer member having an opening in communication with said pockets as they are moved into relation to said hopper, reciprocating plunger means constituting bases for said pockets and adapted through projecting movement to eject said powder from said pockets, a second reciprocating plunger means arranged radially of said rotatable conveyer to engage in said pockets at a point between said hopper and said ejection point to detect the amount of powder therein, and stop means for stopping the conveyer member arranged to be actuated by said second plunger means.

2. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable cylindrical conveyer member having a series of radially disposed passages extending to its periphery, plunger members disposed in said passages constituting movable bases for powder receiving pockets formed by said passages in the periphery of said conveyer member, a powder containing hopper disposed above said conveyer member having a longitudinal discharge opening in continuous communication with said pockets as they are moved into .10 thereto through reduction in the volume of said pockets.

3. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable cylindrical conveyer member having a series of radially disposed pas- ,15 sages extending to its periphery, plunger members disposed in said passages constituting movable bases for powder receiving pockets formed by said passages in the periphery of said conveyer member, a powder containing hopper disposed go above said conveyer member having a longitudinal discharge opening in continuous communication with said pockets as they are moved into relation to said hopper, spring means exerting retracting pressure on said plungers, stationary cam means engaged by said plungers through the action of said spring means adapted as said conveyer member is rotated to impart movement to said plungers to successively increase and diminish the volume of said pockets whereby at one point at least some of the powder received in the pockets is moved relatively thereto through reduction in the volume of said pockets, and vertically reciprocating actuating means mounted on said cam means arranged to impart projecting movement to each plunger successively at one point in the rotation of said conveyer member to eject powder from the pockets.

4. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable cylindrical conveyer member having a series of radially disposed passages extending to its periphery, plunger members disposed in said passages constituting movable bases for powder receiving pockets formed by said passages in the periphery of said conveyer member, a powder containing hopper disposed above said conveyer member having an opening in communication with said pockets as they are moved into relation to said hopper, reciprocating actuating means arranged to impart projecting 60 movement to each plunger at one point in the rotation of said conveyer member to eject powder from said pockets, means for actuating said reciprocating means comprising a lever arm pivotally secured thereto, and a cam for positively actuating said lever arm.

5. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable cylindrical conveyer member having a series of radially disposed passages extending to its periphery, drive means arranged to rotate said conveyer member intermittently through equal increments of movement corresponding to the spacing of said pockets, plunger members disposed in said passages constituting movable bases for powder receiving ()5 pockets formed by said passages in the periphery of said conveyer member, a stationary cam engaged by said plunger members for displacing said members in said pockets, said cam having a slot, a powder containing hopper disposed above said conveyer member having an opening in communication with said pockets as they are moved into relation to said hopper, reciprocating actuating means supported in said cam slot to impart projecting movement to each plunger at one point in the rotation of said conveyer member to eject powder therefrom, means for reciprocating said actuating means in said slot, reciprocating plunger means arranged to engage said pockets at a point between said hopper and said ejection point to detect the amount of powder therein, and stop means arranged to be actuated by said plunger means.

6. In an automatic powder charger for cartridge shells, a rotatable cylindrical conveyer member having a series of radially disposed passages extending to its periphery, drive means arranged to rotate said conveyer member intermittently through equal increments of movement corresponding to the spacing of said pockets, plunger members disposed. in said passages constituting movable bases for powder receiving pockets formed by said passages in the periphery of said conveyer member, a powder containing hopper disposed above said. conveyer member having an. opening in communication with said pockets as. they are moved into relation to said hopper, actuating means for said plungers adapted as said conveyer member is rotated to impart movement to said plungers to successively increase and diminish the volume of said pockets while said pockets are opposite the opening in said hopper and subjected to the pressure of powder therein whereby at one point at least some of the powder received in the pockets is moved relatively thereto through reduction in the volume of said pockets, reciprocating actuating means arranged to impart projecting movement to said plungers at one point-in the rotation of said conveyer member to eject powder from said pockets, reciprocating plunger means arranged to engage said pockets at a point between said hopper and said ejec tion point to detect the amount of powder therein, and stop means arranged to be actuated by said plunger means.

WARREN S. REYNOLDS. 

